Dear Wheeler,

Thanks for giving us the update. So glad to hear of your husband's approval. Wishing you the best in your efforts to deal with the issues you face in helping your husband and the devastating effects this has had on both of you.

im glad that you were successful. at least you can move on now from that nagging worry that we have all gone through and can empathize with.

Thanks for the update. I want to say "I told you so" but that would be gloating.

The problem and the benefit of these kinds of forums is that you generally only read about people's problems in getting approved. SSA approves 1 out of 3 initial disability claims every day of the work week, without appeals. This one is pretty darn quick, less than six weeks. But his condition is obviously severe and is documented.

Good luck to you and hope your husband's condition can stabilize or even improve with the right treatment. But he is lucky to have you.

Thank you ALL VERY much for your time to reply and help me (us) through this process. I guess I was just nervous that since I will be the one to do the filling out of application online (he now struggles to use a computer) that I would be overwhelmed with all the questions and answers. I know my husband will do whatever he can to help me but with his short term memory now gone it will be up to me to figure out the any answers to questions he may not know.

One thing I did do was to start a notebook in the very beginning with all doctor appts notes, copies of all records from doctors appts and state disability insurance paperwork. I am hoping that might help once we start the SSDI.

I really appreciate the link Shellback and I have bookmarked the website. Janke thank you for the guidance, support and information with your post. I will definitely keep you all posted as I have read some positive outcomes here on Neurotalk
Hopeless thank you for your posts and support. This website is nice place to come and feel welcome to ask questions or look for help.

One final thing Janke you are right, it is not necessary for me to worry about which listing applies to my husband and that is what scared me the most. I was probably overanalyzing the list of conditions and no where did it list dementia. I am confident that the neuropsych testing shows and states that exact thing.

With a new positive outlook I will not be so worried and "Just do it" ala Nike

All the best,
Wheeler

Hi Wheeler,

I hope all goes smoothly for you and your husband. The link for the disability secrets has a huge wealth of information and I am sure you will find all kinds of tips there. It also explains things in plain language. Please keep us posted. Wishing you the best.

Thank you AGAIN to everyone who has taken the time to respond and help me. I really appreciate all the support and ideas. I will keep you all posted.

Hi Wheeler,

You sound very organized and that will be a huge asset in filing the claim. That will also cut out a lot of time in the paperwork. I did not in anyway want to frighten you when I said it "can" be time-consuming and extensive.

Janke is correct that it can be a quick process, especially if you are organized and prepared before you begin the paperwork. Janke is extremely helpful on SSDI matters and I would defer to Janke on anything related to disability.

I took exception with Janke on that matter only because it took me a long time to complete the initial application. But then again, it takes me a long time to do anything so my experience is directly related to my being slow in getting things done.

Please keep us informed as you go along with your hurdles. I am so sorry about your husband's condition. That must be very difficult on both of you.

"One final thing Janke you are right, it is not necessary for me to worry about which listing applies to my husband and that is what scared me the most. I was probably overanalyzing the list of conditions and no where did it list dementia. I am confident that the neuropsych testing shows and states that exact thing".



Although it is true that you do not need a listed impairment to be found disabled, I just wanted to point out that dementia is evaluated under listing 12.02.

Wheeler, if you hire an attorney on your own, they have an incentive to stall the process since they are only paid out of backpay, whereas your LTD company can pay the representative directly, thus eliminating the incentive to stall. So, if you are going to get the service free via LTD, I'd recommend you accept the help. Otherwise, I'd recommend you start the process on your own. (Most attorneys won't even speak to you this early in the process, anyway.)

At 60, and with documentation of severe dementia, it is unlikely he'll have a lengthy or difficult time receiving a Fully Favorable decision. He may not see an increase in monetary benefits due to offset, but receiving Medicare is significant. (You should start researching supplement plans as well.)

What you describe about hiring an attorney is precisely what happened to me. I started with someone recommended by Voc Rehab and the TBI rehab program I was in. He did NOTHING and failed to pass on to SSA what they needed.

By the time I got the second denial (and by the way, he said I was not to contact SSA directly once I hired him), I was beyond the point of providing those records to SSA.

So I fired him and hired an attorney. Oh she took the prize. Did nothing other than advise SSA she was then representing me. I called my local SSA office in tears. By this point I was at the hearing level and with my only source of means (401k) nearly depleted. A month away from having nothing to live on and no means to get meds let alone medical care.

My local SSA office referred me to my congressman. At that point, less than three weeks after I took that step, I had a favorable disability determination WITHOUT having to go to a hearing.

I would quantify this though, I have along the way encountered people who had much better experiences than I.

My SO has a pending disability claim. I helped him get it started. He wanted to jump in feet first and hire a rep. Instead, he filed first online on his own. I did the Adult Function Questionaire - Third party. Detailed at that and to this day he has no idea what I wrote on it.

He's already been to the two appointments SSA scheduled for him. Now we wait for a decision. This is under three months thus far.

We decided it was best he initially apply without an attorney. However, should he be denied, probably at that point he will need one. The VA is not very good about releasing records, and that is where his records are.

All that being said, everyone's situation is different. As for myself, I had not a clue about how to file for disability, was going through a LOT of new medical issues and really needed someone who knew the process.